CSMCDB - Chapter 41
Chapter 41
How should one put it? An honorable defeat? That was probably the feeling.
Of course, some people in the audience were still watching the match with the hope of seeing Wen Yuncheng make a fool of herself. They thought, Wen Yuncheng challenging Yao Mu? Wouldn't she be instantly defeated, just like Li Kongyi challenging Lin Jinyu, or Lin Jue challenging Wen Yuncheng? And yet, Wen Yuncheng had actually managed to put up a real fight…
For a moment, some fell silent while others cheered. The students of A-Class straightened their backs, filled with a sense of shared honor.
As the day's matches came to a close, the headmaster contemplated the possibility of moving Wen Yuncheng into S-Class while respectfully seeing off His Majesty the Emperor and his children.
"Those two young people are quite impressive." The Emperor was over forty, his stubble shaved clean, leaving only a faint shadow. With sharp brows and bright, piercing eyes, he was clearly in his prime. He offered his praise, "Lin Jinyu is the daughter of the Flowing Cloud Sect's master? And Wen Yuncheng… is from that Wen Family she had an engagement with?"
"Yes. However, Wen Yuncheng should have no connection to the Wen Family anymore." The headmaster briefly explained Wen Yuncheng's background. The Emperor chuckled and shook his head.
"These minor families are truly… Fortunately, this child didn't give up." He pondered for a moment, then asked, "I heard this kid also invented the mechanical armguards? And those turrets too?"
Tao Jingyun replied, "Besides cultivation, this child is also very talented in creation."
"Excellent, excellent…" The Emperor smiled and patted Tao Jingyun's shoulder. "It seems Star Academy is set to secure its title as the continent's number one academy. I have high hopes for you in next year's Academy Exchange Tournament. Nurture them well."
Tao Jingyun smiled and agreed, knowing that the funding for the academy's development was now set in stone.
The following day of matches was for the defeated students to issue new challenges. Immediately after, the battles to determine the top student within each of the first-year classes began.
S-Class didn't need to determine a top student, as the members were at different levels, making direct comparisons difficult.
On the first day of the A-Class matches, Wen Yuncheng walked directly onto the stage. She patted her chest confidently and declared, "Come on! Come and fight me! One by one!"
This was a great opportunity to earn experience! Wen Yuncheng was overjoyed, but not a single A-Class student below the stage would meet her gaze.
Wen: ?
"Come on, classmates, give it a try! Don't you want to defeat me? This is for the top spot in A-Class!"
Someone from the crowd shouted, "You should be in S-Class! Why are you staying here to torment us? Waaah… We've been beaten by you in combat class for a whole year, and you still insist on staying in A-Class…"
Wen Yuncheng was unwilling to give up. "I can't beat Lin Jinyu, I'm very weak. My close combat is terrible, you guys should come and test it out."
"Like hell we believe you! Last month in combat class, you promised you wouldn't aim for my face. And what happened? I had to spend a thousand Star Stones just to straighten the hair you fried!" an anonymous female A-Class student exclaimed indignantly.
"That was a misunderstanding. This time, I promise-"
The crowd roared in unison, "You've made that promise eight hundred times!"
"Teacher, hurry up and get Wen Yuncheng off the stage! Don't let him waste any more time! None of us can beat him!"
"Exactly! A second-layer Star Warrior insisting on staying in A-Class, bullying us who haven't even reached Star Warrior rank!"
"This is too much. To think I was even cheering for you the day before yesterday."
"I cheered too, hehe."
Looking aggrieved, Wen Yuncheng turned to complain to the A-Class instructor, only to be lifted off the stage by the scruff of her neck. She watched as her classmates immediately began chattering and pairing up for matches between equals, and she felt utterly exhausted.
All that experience and all those points, flown away just like that.
Wen Yuncheng sighed, then looked up and saw Lin Jinyu sitting in the back row of the A-Class spectator section.
[You have really good eyesight,] 1947 said, thoroughly impressed.
Wen Yuncheng didn't reply. She leaped into the stands, quickly climbing the steps to the back row and plopping down next to Lin Jinyu. "What are you doing here?"
"Watching your match." Lin Jinyu's expression was as blank as ever, yet her flat tone delivered words that made Wen Yuncheng happy. She paused. "But it seems I won't get to see it."
"Haha~ It's because I've fought them so many times, they all know they can't beat me. I was actually a little bummed out just now, but seeing you here makes me so happy." Wen Yuncheng beamed. She saw Lin Jinyu turn to look at her. Wen Yuncheng blinked, her smile softening, and then she heard Lin Jinyu ask:
"Why didn't you challenge me?"
Is it because I'm not strong enough? Because I can no longer be your opponent?
Lin Jinyu had beautiful eyes. Under her gaze, Wen Yuncheng felt a little embarrassed. She turned her head away but still explained, "Because… I don't want to fight you. Whether I win or lose, I don't want to have a formal battle with you like that."
"I want to be in S-Class with you."
Lin Jinyu froze for a moment, the tips of her ears turning a faint pink. She lowered her gaze and murmured a soft "en," not asking any more questions.
"During the break, are you staying at the academy or going back to the Flowing Cloud Sect?" When Lin Jinyu fell silent, Wen Yuncheng took the initiative to start a new topic. She thought about the long vacation after the placement tests—three whole months… She had no idea how she was going to spend them. Sleeping in the Dueling Arena?
"I'll go back to the Flowing Cloud Sect once, then cultivate at the academy." After all, the sect didn't have a Fire Tempering Bath.
I see. Wen Yuncheng remarked with feeling, "You really work so hard, even though you're still so young."
Lin Jinyu turned to look at her, thinking that Wen Yuncheng was still as strange as ever. Wen Yuncheng was clearly younger than her, yet she spoke with such a mature tone.
"Second and third-year students will participate in the Academy Exchange Tournament," Lin Jinyu said. "It's held every other year. Our turn will be the second-year tournament, and we only get one chance."
[That's right, but the Empire also holds a continent-wide competition every four years. You'll happen to encounter it when you're a third-year. That one is for all the young people on the continent, only those under twenty can participate.]
Following the Long Aotian script, Wen Yuncheng thought, she should make a stunning debut at the competition, win first place, bask in glory, and marry a fair, rich, and beautiful woman… wait, a tall, rich, and handsome man? No, no… marry a cute, doting husband? The thought made Wen Yuncheng's mind short-circuit. It just didn't feel right, so she decided not to think about it anymore. Besides, if she wasn't allowed to set up turrets on the stage, she'd have a tough time in the competition anyway.
"You're amazing, you'll definitely get first place!" Wen Yuncheng said with sincerity.
"What about you?"
Me? Wen Yuncheng paused, scratching her head. "Then I'll take second place."
Lin Jinyu was a little surprised, yet she also felt it was perfectly in character. This was something Wen Yuncheng would say.
It was truly… exasperating.
She herself had felt a great sense of urgency when she learned Wen Yuncheng had become a first-layer Star Warrior. When Wen Yuncheng broke through to the second layer, alongside her happiness for her, there was also… jealousy.
At first, Lin Jinyu didn't even realize it was jealousy; she just felt unwilling to accept it. Since childhood, her father had instilled in her the belief: You cannot lose to your peers.
Among your peers, you must be first. You have to be first. If you lose to someone else, you will bring shame to the Flowing Cloud Sect, and your mother will be disappointed in you.
You must constantly strive to become the youngest Star Practitioner, the youngest Star Warrior, the youngest Star Master… You must become the most outstanding, the most exceptional one.
Second place is a disgrace. Only first place is acceptable.
Lin Jinyu had always striven for first place. When Wen Yuncheng advanced to a second-layer Star Warrior, she had felt resentful. She had worked so hard, yet Wen Yuncheng had still caught up to her. Wen Yuncheng had five fewer years of cultivation, yet now stood at the same place. It was a huge blow to Lin Jinyu's pride.
She realized this emotion was wrong. Wen Yuncheng was such a warm person, yet her own emotions were so negative. Lin Jinyu went to ask Qiu Fei, who told her, "It's normal to feel jealous. When you see a peer easily achieve something you had to work so hard for, it's normal to feel that way."
But Wen Yuncheng had never been jealous of her. After Qiu Fei's comforting words, Lin Jinyu felt even worse. She was upset with herself for having such feelings. She didn't want to be second, didn't want to fail, and was unwilling to lose to a peer. But if she were to win… she didn't really want to see Wen Yuncheng lose to her under the gazes of so many people.
The annulment of their engagement had already brought Wen Yuncheng enough undeserved ridicule.
The night before the A-Class challenges began, Lin Jinyu didn't cultivate. She sat on her bed, hugging the little robot Wen Yuncheng had given her, and seriously contemplated the matter that had been troubling her for so long.
Then she thought, if she were to lose, losing to Wen Yuncheng… wouldn't be unacceptable. If she had to be second, if the one in first place was Wen Yuncheng… that would be okay.
On the day of the match, Wen Yuncheng had been so confident when she walked onto the stage. She had looked at her and smiled. Lin Jinyu had already gripped her sword, ready to go up. But then, Wen Yuncheng had called out Yao Mu's name…
She hadn't challenged her.
Disappointment? Relief? Relaxation? Confusion? Lin Jinyu had never experienced such complex emotions in her entire life. She looked at Wen Yuncheng on the stage and thought: Aren't we friends?
Why… were you not even willing to challenge me?
That was why she had come to watch Wen Yuncheng's A-Class internal matches. Sitting in the stands, she watched Wen Yuncheng laughing and joking with her classmates on the stage and belatedly realized: Wen Yuncheng had many friends.
She smiled at everyone.
But that, it seemed, was perfectly normal.
Then, Wen Yuncheng came down from the stage, saw her, and ran over with a smile. She sat beside her, beaming, looking incredibly happy.
Lin Jinyu looked at her, hesitated, but finally asked the question that had been on her mind for so long: "Why didn't you challenge me?"
Why would you rather challenge a second-year like Yao Mu than me, who is at the same level?
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